Deceptive Realities
by SeaEmerald
Summary: It's been two years since Brandon's death. The Winx finally graduated from Alfea and moved on. Everyone except for Stella. Still unable to cope with her loss, she returns home. A new peril awaits at her planet , forcing her to take charge. After a near fatal attack, she's miraculously saved by a mysterious stranger. But when the stranger starts to resemble someone from her past...
1. Goodbye, Alfea

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.** _ **(Bummer) *sigh***_

Hey, guys! So this was a story that was revolving in my head for a few weeks now. Can't believe it took me this long to publish it xD

 _Anyways..._ I hope you enjoy this attempt?

* * *

 _ **Nearly Ten Months Ago...**_

 **~ Somewhere Unknown - 7:30 PM ~**

"...Happy 20th birthday, Brandon," a soft, broken voice whispered, her voice being lost somewhere amidst the howling winds. Crystal tears fell from her molten gold eyes and travelled further down her cheeks before disappearing in the folds of her black collar. A few loose strands, too little to be tucked behind her ears, clung to the sides of her face as she cried. Her ponytail simply fell down her back like a dead meat, not that the fashion-loving fairy cared.

Dark clouds seeped into the atmosphere, but it wasn't a sign of rain. _No._ Not to her anyway. It was a clear comfort and shelter to a girl who grieved over her lost love.

Stella fell to her knees and sobbed into her shaking hands. _Why...?!_ Her cries were unheard and her pleas for _him_ to come back to her fell on deaf ears.

 _Twelve months..._

It's been a year since Brandon McKnight died. Twelve months since he left her broken and withered with no hope for recovery. They've started dating since she was in her first year at Alfea and their love only blossomed each day.

Even though he died while leaving her behind, she never gave up on their love. She never gave up hope. Even though it's been a whole year since his lofty demise, she was unable to get over him.

Stella shut her eyes tightly as she remembered his death as clear as yesterday. Opening them again, she gently caressed his grave with her hands and placed a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers. He told her once that flowers were never his thing.

 _"Sunflowers," he replied after a long pause._

 _"Oh. Okay, next question-"_

 _"You're not going to ask why?" he cheekily grinned._

 _She scratched her head. "Should I?" she looked at him in confusion._

 _He laughed at her cuteness before stroking her blonde hair affectionately. "They're the brightest ones in the field. They stand out beautifully. And in my universe, you're no different."_

 _Her eyes widened as she blushed at his words._

Stella wistfully laughed to herself as she remembered that. They were both playing 20-20 questions which somehow ended up hilarious, save for a few cheesy one-liners from Brandon.

Tears violently stormed into her eyes as realization dawned on her that she was still stuck in the past. She _refused._ She absolutely _refused_ to believe it that Brandon had died. It wasn't like him!

"You bastard!" she furiously whispered, too exhausted to raise her voice any further. "You were supposed to live!" she sobbed.

She came here everyday. By doing so, she tormented herself and shattered into a million pieces. But she couldn't help it. She'd rather die than go without seeing him even for a day. "Please come back to me..." she whispered even though she knew it was futile.

She placed her head on the dull grave and stared dead ahead at his name. She realized that she, too, died along with him on that day.

~:~:~

 _Here Lies_

 _Brandon Alexander McKnight_

 _August 31, 1998 - August 14,2017_

 _Died A True Hero and Specialist, Trusted and Loyal Friend, Beloved Son, Caring and Loving Boyfriend_

 _No words can express how much we miss you. You may not be with us anymore, but our memories of you will forever be treasured in our hearts._

 _May Your Soul Forever Rest in Peace_

~:~:~

* * *

 _ **Present...**_

 **~ Alfea Grounds - 9:00 AM ~**

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

A certain honey-blonde fairy groaned sleepily and wrapped the sheets tightly around her to keep the annoying sounds out. Sunlight beamed through her light crème curtains and illuminated the room. Despite proudly being the Fairy of Sun and Moon, it was no secret that the Princess Stella of Solaria _despised_ the mornings.

The young nineteen year old princess yawned slowly as she opened her eyes. Just then, loud and incessant banging on her bedroom door interrupted her morning laziness. She nearly jumped out of the bed, messily sprawling up the sheets on the way towards the door.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" she screamed while turning the knob open.

"What's with the banging?!" Stella yelled in annoyance while moving towards her personal bathroom to tidy herself up.

"Helloooooo! Today's the last day we're gonna spend as roomies at Alfea! We need to cry and become a puddles of mush," Bloom stated as a matter-of-fact before making herself comfortable on Stella's bed.

"And your room is the only one big enough to fit all of us," Layla jumped onto a bean bag while stretching her legs leisurely. Flora sat cross-legged on Stella's fluffy carpet. Musa plugged in her ear plugs while humming to some song. Tecna, for once, put away her palm-top as she joined Bloom on the bed.

"Can't believe it's been three years already," Musa sighed sadly while looking at her friends.

"I know. It hardly feels real," Flora remarked somberly.

Stella listened quietly while splashing cool water on her face before wiping away the moisture with a white cotton towel. She honestly didn't feel like giving any input. Out of the six of them, she's the only one who has gone through the shittiest time period of her life. None of them went through the same pain as she did.

 _ **None**_ of them, _except_ for Musa, knew the pain of the loss of a loved one. Even Layla, who grew up alone for the most part, empathized with her.

When Brandon died, the two fairies, _especially Musa,_ were Stella's strongest confidants. They're the only ones who fully understood Stella's pain.

 _"When my mother died, I hoped that someone would crash my barriers and comfort me. I was alone when I grieved, but I promise you, I won't leave you alone, Stell," Musa softly said as she hugged her crying best friend. Stella sobbed sorrowfully in her arms as Musa let down a few tears for her brave and fallen friend._

When Stella had gone randomly missing one day, everyone else, including Bloom despite being the closest to the blonde at that time, decided that maybe it was the best. Everyone thought that Stella wanted to be left alone.

Musa was the only one who put up a fight and yelled at everyone before searching for hours to find the heartbroken blonde.

Layla was new to the club at that time. Despite being part of the Winx for only a few days, she stood up for Stella and lashed out openly at everyone who dared to leave her shamelessly alone at such a time.

Brandon's unexpected death affected Stella the most and in so many ways that the enthusiasm and cheerfulness inside of her visibly dulled over the months. She no longer made suggestions to shopping or demanded everyone to spend time outdoors.

It was no secret that Musa, Layla, and Stella became the closest out of the six of them.

"I can't believe we have to split up," Stella stated sadly while walking into the room. A few tears pooled in her eyes as she joined the rest of the girls.

"Let's make a pact!" Bloom chirped.

Layla nodded vigorously. "Amen. We sure as hell are not gonna go our separate ways," she huffed.

"Of course not. But it'll be hard since all of us belong to six different and far away realms," Tecna informed.

"We'll meet at least once every month in one of our realms," Flora suggested.

The five cheered at the idea.

Musa smirked. "How about the three elite princesses over here? Do you think you'll be able to skip out on your royal duties?"

Stella rolled her eyes. "My father told me that I need to live like a Solarian citizen for a few months before I can be a queen."

"What? Why?" Bloom asked.

"You need to learn to be a little humble, young lady," Stella mimicked her dad as she puffed her chest and coughed a few times for a deep voice. The five broke down in peals of laughter as she walked like her father.

"Oh rest it already. You'd believe I'd be a little humble after earning my Enchantix. _Which_ I got after saving his spell-stricken life! So much for being royal," she stubbornly crossed her arms, making everyone laugh again.

"What about you, Bloom?" Flora asked, shifting the attention towards the redhead.

"I don't know, Flora. My parents are insisting on some stupid princess training or whatever, so I'll have that."

"Good luck on that," Stella and Layla snorted at the same time. They turned to each other and started to laugh while high-fiving each other.

"Is it really that hard?" Bloom pouted.

Stella and Layla looked at each other with the same knowing look. They distinctly remembered Bloom being ultra horrible on learning how to stand (let alone _act)_ like a proper princess during her crash course while preparing for Eraklyon's 1000th anniversary a few months ago. _The same place that Stella earned her Enchantix._

 _The first grand party I attended without Brandon,_ Stella sadly thought to herself before letting out a small sigh.

"What about the rest of you girls?" Stella asked, turning to Flora.

"I'm going to see Miele. My parents are admitting her into Linphea College," Flora smiled at the thought of seeing her younger sister again. Linphea College was a prestigious school primarily present to enhance the nature-based abilities of fairies of Linphean blood.

"Nabu and I are going to see the island he grew up on," Layla said. The young wizard spent most of his life in solitude and Layla was no different. The dusky brunette's only friend, Anne, moved away when she was just a child, leaving her to raise herself with no friends. Maybe that's why Nabu and Layla grew up to be so independently confident. They both have powers, yet both can live and survive without them.

Musa smiled in excitement. "I'm interning at the Golden Auditorium," the musical fairy happily gushed.

"And I'm working on a security firewall protocol for Zenith's top-secret military base," Tecna informed proudly.

"Classic Tecna," Musa teased at her friend's supernatural fetish for technology, earning laughs from the others as well.

As her friends continued to converse and laugh, Stella excused herself to get some breakfast. Actually, she just wanted a quiet moment to herself.

"I'm worried about Stella," Bloom said when the blonde was out of earshot.

"Me too. She hasn't been herself since...you know," Flora added with another sigh.

Musa crossed her arms. "Maybe not, but she's _better_ now," the musical fairy defended her blonde friend. What else did they expect? _Sunshine and rainbows?!_

"It's been two years, Musa. Don't you think she ought to move on by now?!" Bloom raised an eyebrow with a little impatient huff escaping from her lips. The Winx turned to her with a disfavoring glance.

Tecna raised a disapproving eyebrow at Bloom's raised tone. "That's not fair. Bloom, not everyone has healing powers like you," she informed with a frown.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Bloom asked with an acute frown, obviously offended.

Tecna shut her phone before fully turning to face her. "Meaning that when Icy killed Sky with an icicle, Sky _died. He was dead._ Period. End of story. But _YOU_ revived him. _You_ brought him back to life. You can't possibly know what Stella is feeling," the technology fairy gently explained, trying not to cause a spat on their last day at Alfea.

Tecna continued to defend the blonde fairy. "Do you have _any_ idea how hard it has been for her? You have an incredible gift. You can restore life. Seeing you use your powers every day...it was really hard for her, Bloom."

Bloom fell speechless. She saw the rest of the girls who looked as if they agreed with Tecna, but chose to kept mum. She didn't think of this angle. While she didn't exactly know she had healing powers at that time...she only grieved for Sky for about ten flat seconds. "I suppose you're right," the redhead mumbled, feeling a little ashamed of herself.

Sky was 'dead' a month after Brandon died. But when Stella heard that Bloom somehow revived the specialist, she felt as if she died once again. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't.

"Bloom...hey, it's not your fault for what happened back then," Flora said calmly, being the voice of reason as ever. "Let her take her time."

Musa nodded in agreement. "Yeah. These things take time to forget. Maybe she _did_ get over Brandon's death. But she doesn't have to be ready to move on to someone else."

The rest of the Winx nodded solemnly in understanding and simply changed the topic before Stella barges in.

* * *

 _ **Many, many hours later...**_

 **~ Alfea's Campus Quad - 9:50 PM ~**

"See you, Musa," Stella sniffled while hugging her best friend. "I'll miss you so much."

Musa sniffled as well and dabbed her eyes. "What's with the long face? We'll see each other real soon again."

"Damn right we will," Layla pointed out.

"Tec...I couldn't have asked for a better roommate," Musa cried while hugging the magenta-haired fairy. Tecna, who normally had a stoic composure, started to brew tears as well. "Same goes to you, Musa."

"One last group hug?" Musa asked while extending her arms. The four girls hugged each other tightly before letting go. Musa hopped on the shuttle bus to Melody and the remaining three watched as the bus disappeared out of view. Bloom and Flora left just a short while ago.

Soon, Layla and Tecna left as well. They first insisted that Stella leave first, but the blonde reassured them that she could teleport herself home instantly.

Stella smiled tearily as she waved her friends goodbye. The smile from her face fell less than a moment later when she realized that she's alone. _Again._ Tears strolled down her cheeks. The last piece of her...the remaining remnant of her happiness just left.

Dejected and alone once again, Stella silently roamed through the walls of Alfea. _Her home for three years..._

The corridors were nearly empty. Most of the students either graduated or left for their homes for summer vacation.

Stella opened the door to the dorm the Winx shared. Her eyes vacantly scanned the area. Every room was empty and was deprived of belongings. She gently touched everyone's bed as if silently reminding herself that things will never be the same ever again.

She has changed so much in such little time that it's scaring her. "Goodbye, girls," Stella smiled through her tears. It really wasn't a goodbye. They'll see each other again soon. She dragged her feet towards her own room and sat on her bed. She looked around the room and smiled sadly at the emptiness of it.

But if there's someone she won't see again...

 _"Brandon..."_ she tearfully whispered his name. She pulled out the locket she always wore around her neck and opened it. His picture still resided there innocently. How could he die on her like that? It was just days before his 19th birthday.

She honestly had no idea what to do now. While everyone listed out their plans, she had nothing to do except for train to be a queen. She...she wasn't living anymore. It's been a while since she did something for _herself_ but she just couldn't find enough will in her to get up and do something crazy. _Like the old her._

"Well...goodbye, old me," she said while standing up and taking one last look at her room. She closed her eyes and took out her ring before feeling the all-too-familiar feeling of dissolving away. She found herself standing at the entrance of the school with her luggage.

Facing her school and home for the past three years, she allowed a few nostalgic tears to escape from her golden amber eyes. She burned the image forever into her mind. She'll never forget any moment spent here. Good or bad, this was her home.

"Goodbye, Alfea," she whispered before turning around and disappearing into the night.

...

* * *

 **AN: So...I'm curious to what you guys think...? Before you start flaming away, this is not a Stella story. It's a Brella story. I have a weird plot in mind and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.**

 **It'll be great if you let me know what you think :) Good/bad...** _ **fire away!**_

 **Note: I'll** _ **try**_ **to update my other stories as well, but I can't give a guarantee/promise on the 'when' part.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	2. The New Threat

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Is anyone still interested in reading this O-O?**

 **If anyone has noticed, I _merged_ the original first and second chapters into one because I don't really want this fic to be a super long one. Maybe 7-8-ish chapters at the max?**

 **I** _ **kind of**_ **hope you guys are still sort of interested because this is a fic that I'd** _ **really**_ **love to continue. But then again, it depends on you!**

 **See you in the tiny AN at the bottom and hopefully in the reviews section as well :)!**

* * *

 **~ Kingdom of Solaria - 12:30 PM ~**

"Your Majesty!" excited shrieks rang throughout the palace, alerting King Radius from his doozy slumber. He instantly shook awake and sat up straight at the commotion. Rubbing his eyes, he got up from his royal king-sized (no pun intended) bed and moved to answer the door in urgency.

He _knew_ it. The one day he chooses to turn in miraculously early, he gets interrupted. Great. For a king, turning in a little past midnight is definitely early.

Especially these days.

He opened the doors within a flash, obviously spooked.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Radius roared in concern at the three messengers that stood by his door.

"Your Highness, Princess Stella has arrived."

Radius's eyes widened and he instantly walked out of the room in a flash, eager to meet his one and only daughter. Followed by excited footsteps, Radius made his way down the living quarters for royalty, into the corridors, hallways, and finally into the throne room.

His lips stretched into a wide grin when he saw the glowing aura of his daughter. "Stella! My baby!" Radius smiled while going up to her with his arms stretched wide.

Stella's eyes flooded with emotion at the sight of her father. "Daddy..." she whispered while hugging her father. She wanted to cry her heart out and yell and scream like crazy but she didn't. She felt so happy but also extremely emotional to the point where she wanted to break down.

"I missed you, daddy," Stella breathed. "I can't believe everything's over now..." she sniffled sadly while trying her best to keep the tears at bay. Her education was over. The reason she went to Alfea was accomplished. She was a fairy and not just _any_ fairy. She's one of the new Guardian Fairies of Solaria.

Radius pulled back and patted his daughter's head in a fatherly manner. "Nothing's over, sweetheart. In fact, this is when the real life actually begins. Life is larger than a few textbooks and magical spells. You'll make a very fine queen one day."

"You really think so, dad...?" Stella sniffled while letting out a few tears.

"I know so," Radius stated firmly. "Now, you're free to take tomorrow off, but you must begin your training the day after."

Stella nodded solemnly. "Of course."

"Then go on and get some sleep, sweetheart," Radius smiled and Stella nodded. Two servants came by to take her luggage but she thanked them with a 'no'. Offering them a smile, she turned to leave for her bedroom.

Radius crossed his arms and frowned after his retreating daughter. He let out a small sigh for his daughter's plight, which earned him the attention of his attendants.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" they asked politely.

He turned to them. "Y-Yes. Of course." He gave them a nod to let them get back to their duties. Obviously, not everyone in the palace is going to sleep. There is, of course, a thing called night-shift.

With a deep, exhausted sigh, he proceeded to turn in for the night as well. He needed to have a nice chat with his daughter.

She's been...quiet for nearly _two_ years now. _TWO. YEARS._

He could tell that she's a _little_ better from the last time he saw her which was a few months ago. Emphasis on _little._

He couldn't quite understand why his daughter was unable to move on from her boyfriend's death. After all, it was just a boyfriend. Not her fiance or her husband. How long is she going to grieve for that boy?

It's not that Radius didn't feel sad or anything like that. He did. What happened to the young and brave specialist was definitely sorrowful. But he died two years ago. That's a decided fact and history can't be changed no matter how much we want to. There should come a point in life where we should let go of the person. But to Stella, this point was still an infinite number of miles away.

Radius sighed again, knowing this was getting out of hand. He left her alone and let her grieve for the first few months before starting to feel impatient and a little irritated.

Perhaps indulging his daughter in strenous training will help her forget.

Radius walked back to his room, deep in thought.

 _Or...perhaps...a new love interest...?_

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 9:00 AM ~**

A loud bang on the door interrupted the blonde's peaceful, dreamless sleep as she sat up with a scream escaping from her lips. Instantly, three maids rushed in with screeches and squeals that nearly turned Stella deaf.

"Princess Stella! What are you still doing in bed?!" one of them spoke in horror with unique British-like accent.

"Oh this is not a prim manner of a proper princess!" another gasped while running towards the blonde.

"W-Wait...!" Stella let out a startled scream as they tugged on her nightgown and clawed at her sleeves before throwing her inside the bathroom. They stormed towards her closet before picking out today's _perfect_ outfit.

The second Stella stepped out of the shower, they instantly threw her in front of the dressing table, ignoring her protests.

"Guys, p-please...!" she tried to protest but was seemingly interrupted when they started to put the dress on her with no sign of listening to her any time soon.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

 **~ Council Chamber - Palace of Solaria - 9:50 AM ~**

"How could this happen?!" King Radius's voice thundered above the others as he slammed his fist on the arm of his chair angrily. The room was filled with the king, ministers, advisors, royal guards, and commanders of the Solarian army.

The royal guards formed a perimeter around the room and kept a vigilant eye around. Long tables were perched along the reflective surface of the floor, with each table being able to seat twelve guests. They were seated opposite one another, just like a King holding court with his royal entourage.

King Radius had woken to some distressing news very early in the morning and had called for a last-minute court meeting with his royal entourage.

"Your Highness...this was the _fifth_ attack this week," one of the royal commanders informed with distress and concern. "We need to prepare for a plan."

Radius scratched his chin in anger and concern. "Was anyone hurt? Do we have any information or suspects?!"

"We initially thought that it might be from Kingdom of Bellum, but the weapons and the way the attacks were carried out are completely different."

Kingdom of Bellum was a rival to Solaria due to some unsolved arguments in the past. But the two planets never found on turfs. Whatever miffs they had were only limited to oral confrontations.

Radius nodded as he listened with a deep frown.

This was getting out of hand. Every day, a news wakes him up and keeps him awake at night because a certain village or town has been attacked by masked fugitives.

"Many have been hurt already and we can't afford any more injuries or God forbid, casualities," a royal commander of the army spoke up defiantly.

Radius nodded. "Keep watch for suspicious or unaccounted persons. Amp the soldier force. Send an order out to increase the security in each town's police force. Send out relief funds and medical care for anyone who has been hurt," he declared angrily. He will _not_ let his kingdom be overrun by criminals.

The people around the tables nodded in compliance. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Have a good day, gentlemen," Radius dismissed them before telling them to inform him of any other updates or such.

Everyone waited respectfully for the king to leave first before standing up to clear the room themselves.

Upon exiting the council, Radius couldn't help but remain deep in thought. Solaria is being ravaged at random places that it was impossible to know which area will be attacked next. Houses have been set fire on, young children have been threatened, and dangerous weapons were fired upon the citizens. He didn't know what to do since Solaria has never faced an attack like this before.

The threats and attacks started about two months ago. Each attack has been more intense and aggressive since the previous one. The frequency of the assaults have also risen exponentially.

"Daddy?"

The voice of his daughter interrupted Radius as he looked up. His eyes widened to see her clad in a golden gown and her makeup applied to perfection.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Radius smiled, temporarily forgetting the plagues invading his kingdom.

Stella smiled and nodded before frowning. "Is everything okay? You looked really upset."

Radius nodded slowly. He didn't particularly want to worry her, especially since she just came here last night. Maybe after resting for a few days, she can know slowly what's happening around. "Everything's fine," he smiled.

Stella nodded. "Dad, is it okay if I go for a walk or something?"

"WHAT?! WHY?!" Radius instantly hollered, making Stella's eyes widen.

"What do you mean 'why'? You said I can have today to myself," Stella explained, narrowing her eyes and reminding him of his promise towards her.

Radius sighed. That was true but he didn't really anticipate _this._ "Honey, why don't you remain in the palace today? Take rest?" he offered.

Stella sighed. "Please, dad? Just for an hour or two, max," she pleaded tiredly. Honestly, this palace seemed so foreign to her. She felt claustrophobic and unable to catch her breath. She didn't want people around her right now. And being here means that following a strict set of rules enforced by over-enthusiastic martinets.

Radius sighed, giving up. "Fine. But you be extra careful," he warned.

Stella grinned in ecstasy. "Thank you! You're the best!"

Radius simply chuckled. "Guards!" he clapped his hands and instantly, ten armed guards entered the room with weapons in their hands.

Stella's eyes widened at the security. "I'll be going alone, thank you very much," the blonde scowled, obviously displeased.

"No, either you go with security or you don't go at all," Radius firmly stated in total seriousness.

"Dad, I'm only going for a walk! Not to a war!" Stella protested but was cut off by her father again.

"Stella, I'm serious. You _will_ take security with you and they _will_ be with you wherever you choose to go. And that's _final!_ " he bellowed aggressively and Stella appeared momentarily taken aback at the anger in her father's voice.

Why was he acting this way? He seemed so paranoid but she can defend herself very well, thank you! Besides, she went out so many times but he never paid much attention then.

"Fine..." she said defeated before walking away, making a mental note to herself to have a chat with him soon.

* * *

 _ **Fifteen minutes later...**_

Stella grumbled under her breath at the security hogging around her back. With a frustrated sigh, she turned around. "Can you guys please leave?!" she fumed angrily.

The guards looked at each other before turning to their beloved princess. "Forgive us, Princess Stella. But we were given strict orders from His Majesty."

Stella sighed and wondered why she even bothered to ask her father in the first place. She should've just wandered off on her own. This was freaking annoying, to say the least.

"Well, can you guys at least maintain some distance and not breathe on my back?!" she snarled. "I can defend myself very well!"

They looked at each other for a few seconds before nodding at her.

"Thank you," she sighed before turning to exit out of the palace.

She continued to walk into a woody forest at the edge of the palace, lost in her own thoughts. Like she demanded, the security guards stayed a respectful distance behind her but it only made them be even more cautious.

Stella glanced at her current choice of outfit. It was nowhere fitting to be worn outside of the palace. It was just too noticeable and it seemed a little overboard.

She waved her hand at herself. Her magic swirled at the ends of her fingertips before her outfit changed into something that was suitable for hiking and such. Her splendid dress turned into something more mellow. Within seconds, her outfit transformed into a white blouse, dark jeans, and black knee-length boots with little heel.

She knew that she probably wouldn't have cared to be _this_ mellow a few years ago but...

She's the type of person to want attention and glow in the spotlight. She wasn't a snob or a brat but...she still enjoyed the attention she received on a daily basis, whether it be Solaria or Magix.

Things changed at the beginning of her second year in Alfea.

Stella closed her eyes and tried not to remember the last sound she heard from _him._

 _"AHHHHH!" he shouted as he fell into the plunging pit of darkness._

 _"BRANDON!" she screamed in terror before covering her mouth in shock. "NOOO!"_

A lone, invisible tear rolled from her cheek as she struggled to somehow forget the traumatic experience. That was the last time she ever saw him. That was the last image she had of him as he died from the plunging heights. She'll never forget that scream as it echoed louder with each second he fell into the dark pit.

Stella dabbed at her eyelids that glistened at the pain. She never stopped thinking about him nor did she ever stop loving the one man who made her life matter. He wasn't the only one who died that day. She died too. She went into shock and her voice had died in her throat when she saw that right in front of her eyes. As reality slapped her in the face, her heart broke and her soul shattered into a million pieces. She couldn't stop crying for _weeks_ before her spirits started to hollow.

Each day was just...each day. Nothing significant, nothing exciting, and nothing worth remembering.

 _"You're mad that I lied to you about being a prince..." he sighed in dejection, hating on his status for the first time ever in his life. He never cared much about his status until he met the vivacious princess of Solaria._

 _"Yes, I'm mad! I'm mad that you lied to me. Why didn't you tell me that you were a squire?" she asked with hurt._

 _"It doesn't matter anymore, does it?" he asked. "I'm sorry." With another dejected sigh of sadness, he turned around but was stopped when the blonde grabbed his sleeve. He turned again in question, wondering what she wanted now._

 _"I'm mad that you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. Not because you're a squire," Stella shook her head._

She shook her head. She spent these last two years drowning in their memories during her first year at Alfea. Oh and the summer break she spent with him. They started dating at the end of her first year after the attacks from Army of Darkness.

She just never knew that her happiness would be taken from her so soon.

 _"And this, princess, is how you build a campfire," he grinned proudly while Stella blushed sheepishly._

 _"It never really gets cold on Solaria, so we don't need campfires," she defended herself while sitting on a log in front of the fire while rubbing her hands to warm them up. He joined her and sat next to her while kissing her cheek affectionately. She smiled before hugging him tightly._

 _They cuddled in each other's arms while watching the crispy flames dance into the night._

Lost in her own little world, she never noticed the long path she walked away from the palace nor did she ever hear the rustling of leaves in the nearby bushes.

"Princess Stella!" the guards shouted instantly when they saw a masked man jump in front of the blonde, covered in black clothing from head-to-toe.

Stella gasped in shock and screamed in surprise when a few more jumped from the nearby trees, obviously waiting for an ambush. The masked men (were they even men?) were gigantic in size and held thick, wooden clubs in their hands. The clubs were decorated with sharp glass and nails.

Stella's eyes instantly flared angrily at them for interrupting her from her temporary happiness.

" _Enchantix_!" she screamed while summoning her transformation.

Her outfit instantly disappeared and her gorgeous dress fitted itself around her while her hair grew longer with pale blonde streaks in them.

"Who are you?!" one of the guards demanded while they came up to stand in front of their princess protectively.

But the perpetrators didn't speak. They were five in number. Instead, they all let out a collective roar before charging.

The guards aimed their weapons to fire solar beams but the assailants proved to be much quicker and stronger than they were given credit for.

"H'yah!" they shouted with booming deep voice while slashing their clubs left and right. A few shouted in pain as the glass embedded itself into their skin, letting blood out.

 _"Ocean of light!"_ Stella shouted while blasting her hands forward to generate a burst of blinding luminosity. "Get back!" she defended while going to help the fallen guards.

 _"Enchantix moon shield!"_ she called out before holding up her hand to hold her defense shield. She flew down to the ground to help a bleeding guard. "Go, get out of here!" she urged while helping him.

Stella grunted when she felt harsh blows on her shield, resulting in vibrations.

"But princess-" the guard protested.

"That's an order! Now _leave!"_ Stella shouted defiantly as if daring him and the rest of them to oppose her authority.

Stella and two other uninjured sentinels defended themselves, giving time for the injured ones to escape and hopefully get help.

 _"Solar flare!"_ Stella cried out as a fierce orange sphere flew from her hands and hit one of the assailants. She gasped when she saw that they dodged the spell.

Stella fought wildly while conjuring up multiple beams and shooting them.

The other two sentries tried their best to fend off just one of the attackers while four of them advanced towards Stella threateningly.

"Ahhh!" the two cried out when they felt a heart-stopping blow to their abdomens, sending them flying and crashing painfully into a tree.

"No!" Stella cried out in concern and that moment of distraction was enough for them to take advantage.

They took a swing at the blonde. Stella noticed it at just the last second and jumped back in panic. Her heart raced as she fell backwards and landed on the forest floor. Her head started to spin with adrenaline as her blood pulsed against her chest. Blood oozed from the scratches on her arms and hotly trailed down her skin.

She slowly clutched and looked up only to see the five joining together and letting out an angry growl before aiming their weapons again to fire at her once more. She had no time to defend herself as she recoiled in fear before covering her face in terror.

She braced herself tightly, expecting the blow to her body any second. She screamed instantly when she felt a whoosh of air and a set of footsteps jump in front of her. After a few seconds, Stella blinked in shock to see that the attack never came in the first place. She opened her eyes when she heard a deep, masculine grunt in front of her.

She gasped when she saw a masked male in front of her, holding up a shield and a double-edged sword. Her body froze at the new intruder who looked as if he's on her side. She couldn't quite make out his features, considering his back was to her.

Stella watched him in shock as the man fought the five of them gracefully with little effort and zero difficulty. A couple roundhouse kicks and sword slashes were all it took for them to moan in pain. Blood covered the forest floor and Stella felt queasy to the stomach at the iron-like scent. The five soon picked up their own bodies and start running in the other direction with severe bruises and wounds.

Stella's eyes blinked with an overwhelming amount of rushed emotions as she sat on the dirty forest floor, unable to believe what she just witnessed here. She felt confusion and blurriness in her vision. It was all so surreal and so quick that she had a hard time wrapping the situation around her head.

She looked to see the man slowly turning towards her. Her eyes remained wide as she tried to see him. His face was covered with mask and his body was clothed in a black medieval outfit with a cloak behind his back. A black hood felt over his eyes just enough to let him see but also prevent others from seeing who he truly is. He was tall and his frame was brooding enough to intimidate anyone.

He stared down at her for a moment before extending his hand to help her up. Stella glanced up at the hand which was adorned with fingerless gloves. Despite not being able to see the entire hand, she could see how rough and calloused his fingers are. They were covered with proof of invisible battle scars and warrior training.

Blinking a few more times, she accepted his hand before he pulled her up with his swift strength. Stella gasped when her chest brushed against his and she instantly stepped back while gazing into his face.

And with that, he let her go before taking off in the opposite direction. But Stella's eyes peeled wide open when she remembered the last image of his face. She could've _sworn_ that she saw those narrowed, hawk eyes somewhere.

He didn't really give her the chance to look at him or even stay long enough for a grateful 'thank you'. She only glanced at him for a fraction of a second before he turned around.

She could've _sworn_ that this wasn't the first time she has seen those eyes.

 _"Could it really be...?"_ she whispered in shock while she continued to stare at his retreating body which grew smaller and smaller with each second.

* * *

 _ **Forty minutes later...**_

 **~ Royal Infirmary - Palace of Solaria - 11:30 AM ~**

"How could you let something like this happen?!" Radius's voice boomed violently with rage and aggression as he harshly reprimanded the guards who were assigned to his daughter.

Stella sighed as she sat on one of the beds in the infirmary with a nurse tending to the bruises on her arms.

Radius continued to yell and fire away at the guards. They looked ashamed and stared at the floor with humiliation.

Stella's eyes narrowed in concern before holding up her free hand to stop the nurse. She got up from the bed before walking towards the king.

"How dare you run away from an ambush?!" he fired.

"Dad, that's enough," she interrupted angrily while grabbing his arm.

"No, it certainly isn't! You were hurt!" Radius glowered.

"So were they, dad!" Stella yelled back. "They're humans, for Pete's sake! Not animals! And no one ran away! I told them to leave and get reinforcements!"

"They obeyed you by disobeying me!" Radius glared. He went over the nuts when he heard a loud explosion from the middle of the forest. When Stella returned back to the palace in her Enchantix with wounds, his fatherly instincts kicked into drive and instantly started snapping at everyone.

Stella held up her hand. "You need to calm down. I didn't die. I wasn't hurt to that extent. THEY, however," she pointed towards them who all suffered painful blows as well. "They _did._ They protected me at the cost of their lives and it's not fair that you're treating them this way."

Radius's eyes widened at his daughter's fierce words. Her amber colored were lit with flames as she dared to glare at him.

She sighed and turned to the guards. "Please. Everyone, get inside and get yourselves checked. That's an order," she demanded while pointing towards the beds in the room. "Thank you for protecting me."

The guards looked up with gratitude and admiration for their dear princess before complying with her request.

"Now please excuse me as well," Stella neutrally said to her father before clutching her arm and leaving the room instantly.

Radius sighed before going up to the sentinels who're currently being treated. "Thank you. I apologize," he admitted.

"No, Sir. It's our duty, Your Majesty," one of them replied with a profound loyalty while the others concurred in agreement. The king smiled as he watched them being bandaged and tended to.

"What happened out there today?" Radius asked them while they glanced at each other before narrating the tale.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

 **~ Stella's Room - Palace of Solaria - 11:45 AM ~**

Stella stepped into the safe haven of her room before closing and locking the door shut. She let out the breath she's been holding for so long till now.

She walked towards her bed before closing her eyes, deep in thought. She tried to recollect what happened out there.

It was a battlefield. She and her security have been bushwhacked by bulldozer-sized men. Her magic did little to harm them. Just when she thought she was done for...

Stella took a deep breath, unable to get her savior out of her mind. She moved towards the balcony and leaned against the chest-high railing.

 _Who was he...?_ she thought desperately while trying to recall the only pair of features she has seen. But she couldn't even get a clear image.

 _Those eyes..._

They flashed by in a blur but Stella couldn't shake the terror that certainly hugged her.

 _The familiar tint of brown...the acuteness of the eye..._

She knew _exactly_ where she has seen them. A gasp left her throat as she stood straight in a flash and covered her mouth. Her lips quivered while tears flood her own eyes.

 _"B-B-Brandon...?"_ she whispered in heartbreak while tears started to fall down her golden brown eyes.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

A long distance away, a tall, hooded male perched on top of a sturdy branch while glancing into a high-powered, handheld telescope. His clothing gave him a great camouflage to blend with the closely-knitted, dense forest around him.

He adjusted the lenses closely to zoom into a certain blonde princess standing in her balcony. He narrowed his eyes when he saw her lose her footing and stumbled against the wall behind her. There was appalling distress and utter disbelief present all over her soft features.

He closed his eyes and let his hand drop to the side. Taking a few deep breaths, he opened them in a flash again later.

With another lengthy deep breath, he pulled down the hood over his head, revealing his deep brown hair.

 _"Sunshine..."_ he whispered softly before clenching a tightly-knotted fist with his hands, narrowing his focus and undivided attention onto the castle.

 _ **…**_

* * *

 _ **…*nervously stares at my laptop*…**_

 **I _CANNOT_ write fight scenes, so I'm really sorry if that downright sucked or made you cringe, guys. If anyone has any suggestions or pointers to give me, I'd be so happy to listen.**

 **So,** _ **please review?**_

 **Thanks for reading :)!**


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